Pelicans

There are a number of different kinds of pelican found in different parts of the world. The subject of  my painting this week is the California Brown Pelican. It is found all up and down the North American Pacific coast from British Columbia to Nayarit, Mexico. Roughly 90% of the population is in Mexico.

A large, heavy seabird, the Brown Pelican ranges from 45-54" tall. They have huge dark bills and a large throat pouch. Adults are grayish-brown with a white head. Breeding pelicans have a dark chestnut hindneck extending to a crested nape. Juveniles are dark-headed and pale below. Pelicans have a short tail and an S-shaped neck. Pelicans in flight alternately flap their broad, powerful wings or glide. They often cruise over water looking for food, and when it is spotted, they suddenly nose dive directly into the water to get it. Young pelicans make groaning and screaming sounds, but adults are generally silent.

Pelican nests usually contain 2 to 3 eggs, but when there are food shortages, only 1 or 2 young are raised.

Pelicans live around the ocean and inshore waters. They are often found standing on rocks or pilings.

Look up pelicans on the web and see what other kinds of information you can learn about them.

The model for my pelican painting came mostly from this picture from the web: